Tinder in the Tundra
by Dinorider15
Summary: Fire is what keeps us warm. It has the power to both destroy us and give life, shielding us from the worlds harsh winds. Sometimes all it takes is one tiny thing and suddenly the world is aflame.


Time for my first A:TLA fic, bet you're thrilled. So this is a kataang fic (duh) where Aang and Katara get trapped together for a few hours in the southern water tribe due to a blizzard. It's set very soon after the finale but ignores the kiss at the end, i.e. they didn't get together. I know this is kind of cliché but I couldn't help myself. Let me know if you like it!

Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender is not my property nor are its characters.

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It had happened so quickly. One moment it was a quiet afternoon with only a gentle breeze then the next it was a full on blizzard, mammoth sized chunks of snow pelting them mercilessly. Sokka had run off into the snow to go find Gran Gran and Pakku leaving Katara alone to search for shelter. It was hard to hear over the howling winds but she could just about make out the voice of Aang calling for her from a small dwelling. She rushed over to the cover, slamming the door behind her to hold back the torrent.

Katara let out a sigh of relief and turned to see a pale Aang hastily starting a fire with some spare wood and a handy bit of firebending.

"I haven't seen a blizzard like that in months, year's maybe" she exclaimed. For someone who had lived at the South Pole for 99% of their life that was quite a statement.

"You think Sokka's gonna be alright?" Aang asked looking at the door with concern.

The waterbender couldn't help the corners of her mouth from tugging up into a smile. Trust Aang to start worrying about someone else whilst he himself was the same colour as the ice outside. He was so unbelievably sweet sometimes. Enough, she decided. She needed to prioritise, warmth was a priority, not… whatever that was.

"Don't worry about him; he's been through way worse. When he was six he pretended to be a otter-penguin and jumped into an opening in the ice, right into the ice cold water. He's lucky dad was there to pull him out" she reassured. Aang smiled a bit but she could tell he was still a little concerned.

Then suddenly there it was again. The awkwardness that had become painfully evident since the eclipse, except it felt ten times worse now after what happened on Ember Island. The worst part was that Katara still didn't know how she felt about him and she hated it. Not knowing what you really want, how you really feel. There were too many questions with too few answers. Whilst she was lost in thought she hadn't realised that Aang was looking at her expectantly.

"Sorry, what did you ask?" she flushed.

"I asked if you were cold" he repeated confused.

"Me? What about you, you look freezing!" she pointed out to the shivering boy who quickly stiffened in an attempt to conceal his shivering. He waved it off but she didn't miss him shuffling closer to the fire ever so slightly. For a while they just sat there in silence staring into the hearth as embers leapt out onto the cool ground before sizzling out.

"It hasn't been this peaceful in a century" she pointed out, keeping her gaze on the fire. "It's so…"

"Nice?" Aang finished helpfully.

"I was gonna go with weird but sure, nice works too" Katara replied smiling.

"It wouldn't be so peaceful if it wasn't for the avatars amazing water bending teacher" he complimented smiling shyly inducing a light blush in the water tribe girl, concealed by the glare of the fire.

"Water's only one element. You managed to learn two others as well within the space of a few months and defeat the firelord!" she insisted "You saved the world Aang, you're the hero" causing the airbender to turn crimson.

"I wonder what will happen in the fire nation now that Zuko's in charge" he pondered changing the subject "most of the citizens are good people there, they just had a bad leader."

For a long time Katara would have denied this. But after the dance party in the cave she realised that they really were good people. In ways they were being oppressed just as much as the rest of the world. The other nations weren't always gleaming examples either. Hama and Long Feng were walking testaments to that.

"Zuko will help them. I know he will" she stated with certainty. Aang nodded in agreement.

"Talking of Zuko, I don't think I've seen him so peaceful since- well actually I don't think I've ever seen him peaceful" Katara noted.

"He's finally living his own life, not the one his father wanted him to have" he began "Well that and getting back together with his girlfriend"

"They're an odd couple huh?"

"As long as they make each other happy" Aang responded shrugging.

Aang's words echoed in Katara's mind as she suddenly froze. _As long as they make each other happy_. All this time Katara was so caught up on her expectations of what she thought she wanted. What she thought love was. The smallest trigger, the littlest spark had set Katara's world ablaze.

"They do make each other happy don't they?" she asked at length, realization washing over her.

"Yeah…" he murmured absentmindedly, oblivious that Katara was now staring at him.

"Aang… things haven't been the same between us since the eclipse" Katara started.

"I'm so sorry Katara, it's all my fault!" Aang apologised, immediately assuming the worst. This was a conversation he had been expecting.

"No Aang that's not what I-"

"I couldn't just be friend's nooooo, that wasn't enough. I had to go and ruin it. Stupid, stupid!" he chided animatedly.

"I don't want things to be like this anymore" she declared trying to calm him down.

"Neither do I, let's just put it behind us" Aang said weakly, not lifting his vision from the floor.

"That's the thing Aang, I don't think I want to" she said gently. He didn't say anything but his expression softened taking on a curious but confused look

"At the theatre I told you I was confused" Aang nodded prompting her to continue. "That wasn't a lie. I was confused, but I'm not anymore. I overcomplicated things when really there was only one question I needed to answer" When did the distance between them shrink so much? Katara could have sworn she was sitting on the other side of the fire just a second ago…

"What was it?" he stammered, gulping nervously.

"Does he make me happy?" she answered softly. With that she pressed her lips to his, closing the gap between them and wrapping her arms around the back of his neck. She pulled back and rested her head against his "Yes Aang, you do make me happy."

"You make me happy too Katara" Aang beamed though still shocked "So does this mean what I think it means?"

"Depends. What do you think it means?" she queried feigning ignorance.

"That I wouldn't mind if this blizzard carried on a little longer" he smirked eliciting a laugh from the waterbender.

"You know I think I'd like that too" Katara agreed, the two snuggling into each other.

The orange glow of the fire flickered gently whilst the new couple enjoyed each other's company. Crackling echoed through the room as the firewood continued to blaze bigger and brighter. Fire isn't always controlled and doesn't always spring up when you want it too. Sometimes it'll ignite out of nowhere and you'll be caught in an inferno. Other times you need to kindle a flame before it can grow into a warm hearth. Outside they're shelter the sky maintained its frozen assault against them. Inside however a new flame was spreading like wildfire and with every moment they spent together it rose a little higher.

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This was meant to be out weeks ago but I got so caught up with school work (and admittedly a fair bit of youtube and gaming) that it was left behind. I'm really sorry I couldn't have finished this sooner. I promise I'll try my best to get some more stuff done tsoon. Other than my failures in life how did you find it? Sappy? Fluffy? Whatever adjective you have I'm happy to hear it, so long as it isn't something like 'red' or 'quiet' because somehow I don't think that makes sense. Enjoy the rest of your morning/day/evening you lovely mother truckers.

Good Day.


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